G-G faces new sex abuse claim: [2 – Extended Metro Edition]

G-G faces new sex abuse claim: [2 – Extended Metro Edition]

The case follows an Anglican board of inquiry report last week which found then Archbishop [Peter Hollingworth] had allowed a paedophile priest to remain a minister despite knowing he had sexually abused a boy.

The warden said Mr Hollingworth had sought to appoint Mr [John Payne] for a second locum term but the church wardens and the incumbent priest fought the decision because of what allegedly happened the first time.

“[Archbishop Hollingworth] shouted down the phone `If I don’t send him I don’t know who I will send’,” the warden said. “I told him we’d manage. We had the most frightful barneys. I was strong enough to stand up to [Archbishop] Hollingworth but I became a persona non grata.”

GOVERNOR-General Peter Hollingworth is facing a new claim he sought to appoint a priest knowing he was the subject of sexual abuse claims.

The case follows an Anglican board of inquiry report last week which found then Archbishop Hollingworth had allowed a paedophile priest to remain a minister despite knowing he had sexually abused a boy.

The fresh claim is that Mr Hollingworth insisted Canon John Payne relieve in a parish after it was claimed he had molested two altar boys, one of whom was intellectually disabled, when previously working there.

A church warden told The Daily Telegraph he forwarded two complaints to Mr Hollingworth about the incidents but “nothing was done about it — one if the victims told me that”.

A spokesman for Brisbane Archbishop Phillip Aspinall last night said the Payne matter was referred to the Board of Inquiry examining sexual abuse in the church but did not appear to be mentioned in its report.

The spokesman said Dr Aspinall had withdrawn Mr Payne’s licence as an Anglican priest — but because of an unrelated sexual assault claim.

A source said Dr Aspinall was notified about the altar boy cases when he became Archbishop and was given the information again because the letters of complaint could not be found in church files.

Mr Hollingworth’s press secretary Martin Bonsey said he did not think the Governor-General would respond to cases beyond those covered in the Anglican inquiry report.

Mr Payne also refused to comment.

“People can say what they like about me,” he said.

The warden said Mr Hollingworth had sought to appoint Mr Payne for a second locum term but the church wardens and the incumbent priest fought the decision because of what allegedly happened the first time.

“[Archbishop Hollingworth] shouted down the phone `If I don’t send him I don’t know who I will send’,” the warden said. “I told him we’d manage. We had the most frightful barneys. I was strong enough to stand up to [Archbishop] Hollingworth but I became a persona non grata.”

The warden said that, after the altercations, local Bishop Ray Smith wouldn’t run the risk of putting

Mr Payne in the parish and the plan was dropped.

Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie meanwhile said Prime Minister John Howard had committed an “error of judgement” in

not tabling the sex abuse report in Federal Parliament.

He said Mr Howard should bow to the Australian public’s decision on whether Dr Hollingworth remained as Governor-General.